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Redalyc.Sewage Sludge Compost Fertilizer Effect on Maize Yield And Revista Internacional de Contaminación Ambiental ISSN: 0188-4999 [email protected] Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México México Delgado Arroyo, Ma. del Mar; Porcel Cots, Miguel Ángel; Miralles de Imperial Hornedo, Rosario; Beltrán Rodríguez, Eulalia Ma.; Beringola Beringola, Luisa; Martín Sánchez, José Valero Sewage sludge compost fertilizer effect on maize yield and soil heavy metal concentration Revista Internacional de Contaminación Ambiental, vol. 18, núm. 3, 2002, p. 0 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Distrito Federal, México Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=37018305 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient. 18 (3) 147-150, 2002 SEWAGE SLUDGE COMPOST FERTILIZER EFFECT ON MAIZE YIELD AND SOIL HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATION Ma. del Mar DELGADO ARROYO, Miguel Ángel PORCEL COTS, Rosario MIRALLES DE IMPERIAL HORNEDO, Eulalia Ma. BELTRÁN RODRÍGUEZ, Luisa BERINGOLA BERINGOLA and José Valero MARTÍN SÁNCHEZ Departamento de Medio Ambiente, INIA. Apdo. 8111. 28080 Madrid, Spain, e-mail: [email protected] (Recibido abril de 2001, aceptado julio de 2002) Key words: sewage sludge, reusing, fertilization, production, heavy metals, maize ABSTRACT Studies were conducted to determine the use of an organic residue (sewage sludge compost) for four years (1996-1999), to study effects of sewage compost on crop yield and chemical proper- ties of soil under field condition. Productivity studies showed that the greatest growth is ob- tained in mixed II treatment (12000 kg/ha sewage sludge compost plus 350 kg/ha urea) with 20 % more than mineral fertilization, followed by mixed I (8000 kg/ha sewage sludge compost plus 350 kg/ha urea) with 10 % more than mineral fertilization. No toxic effects arising from the heavy metals in the plant were observed. Moreover, the concentration of heavy metals in the soil are below Spanish and European legal limits. Palabras clave: lodo biodegradado, reutilización, fertilización, producción, metales pesados, maíz RESUMEN Se realizaron ensayos con residuos orgánicos (biodegradados de sedimentos de aguas residuales) durante 4 años (1996-1999) para determinar el efecto del lodo biodegradado sobre la producción y las propiedades químicas del suelo. Estudios de productividad han demostrado que el mayor crecimiento se ha obtenido con el tratamiento mixto II (12000 kg/ha de lodo biodegradado más 350 kg/ha de urea) con 20 % más que la fertilización mineral, seguido del mixto I (8000 kg/ha lodo biodegradado más 350 kg/ha de urea) con 10 % más que la fertilización mineral. Con respecto al contenido en metales pesados, en ningún momento la aplicación de lodo biodegradado en un cultivo de maíz ha constituido un riesgo para la planta. La concentración de metales pesados en el suelo está por debajo de los límites legales permitidos en España y en el resto de Europa. INTRODUCTION 1999). The metals of primary concern are Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni and Cd which, when applied to soils in excessive amounts, Knowing of chemical composition of sewage slud- may reduce plant yields or impair the quality of food or ges is of great importance when developing recommen- fiber produced (Parr et al.1989). dations for the rates of sludge applications on agricultural On the other hand, repeated applications of compost land (Beltrán et al. 1999). At the present time, recom- from sewage sludges on agricultural soil have significant mendations for sludge applications rates on land are based effects on the physical and chemical properties of soil on the fertilizer values (N, P and K) and on the concen- (Redy and Overcash 1981, Okereke 1985). A consider- trations of trace metals present in sludge (Delgado et al. able amount of research has been carried out in Europe 148 M.M. Delgado et al. in order to evaluate the effects of compost from sewage TABLE I. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SEWAGE SLUDGE sludge on soil properties (Williams and Goh 1982, Sheiikh COMPOST USED (1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999) et al. 1990). Organic matter deficit in Spanish soils has reached Characteristics Sewage Sludge Compost* alarming levels, which are not higher than 1 % due to Humidity (%) 21.5 agricultural practices (Beltrán et al. 2000). Hence, a pH (H2O) 7.9 greater effort is needed to promote the conservation and E.C. (dS/m) 4.6 Organic Matter (%) 36.6 enrichment of organic matter (Berry 1987). Nowadays Oxidable Carbon(%) 13.2 sewage sludge recycling is one of the main options Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (%) 2.5 adopted in agriculture because sewage sludge compost Phosphorus (%) 3.0 is plenty of plant nutrients, especially N and P, and are an Potassium (%) 0.4 Calcium (%) 7.1 effective long-lasting amendment. Iron (%) 1.7 The purpose of present study was to determine the Magnesium (%) 0.9 effect of sewage sludge compost on maize crop yield Copper (mg/kg) 293.5 and on the chemical properties of the soil under field con- Lead (mg/kg) 194.0 Chromium (mg/kg) 279.5 dition. Zinc (mg/kg) 1205.5 Nickel (mg/kg) 55.0 Cadmium (mg/kg) 3.5 MATERIALS AND METHODS * Mean of four years The study was conducted for four years (1996-1999), at a cultivation area located in the province of Madrid, Spain. Maize (Zea mays L. var. Juanita) was grown in Harvested plants were oven dried at 65 ºC, weighed soil amended with a compost of sewage sludge obtained for dry matter yield, ground and stored for analysis. The after an aerobic fermentation process of sewage slud- production and metal uptake of grain maize were ana- ges mixture from six waste water treatment plants in lyzed after annual treatment (Chae and Tabutabai 1986). Madrid (Valdebebas, China Butarque, Rejas, Sur and Sur Soil samples were brought from the field at depth 0- Oriental). 30 and 30-60 cm were taken from 30 sites (10 samples Three different treatments were applied (bottom mineral treatment, 10 samples mixed I treatment and 10 dressing in March and cover dressing in May) to soil samples mixed II treatment) for each depth in the winter surface: mineral treatment (control) (Barrantes et al. of 1999, the samples were air-dried, passed through a 2 1992, Domínguez 1997), mixed I treatment and mixed II mm sieve and stored at 4 ºC. treatment (sewage sludge compost plus urea). The char- acteristics of treatments used were: • Mineral treatment (Control) with basal dressing: 800 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION kg/ha of N (NH4NO3)-P (CaHPO4 )-K (KCL) (15- 15-15) and top dressing: 350 kg/ha urea (46 %). The factors studied were those related to production • Mixed I treatment with basal dressing: 8000 kg/ha sew- and quality of the maize grain and to the properties of the age sludge compost and top dressing : 350 kg/ha urea soil. Special importance was conferred to the possible (46 %). contamination with heavy metals (factor that limits its • Mixed II treatment with basal dressing: 12000 kg/ha use), especially in the plots with annual application of sewage sludge compost and top dressing: 350 kg/ha compost. urea (46 %). Table II shows the yield maize grain (kg/ha) in dif- Table I shows the chemical composition of sewage ferent treatments througout for the four years of the ex- sludge compost used in the trials (dry weight), the pH periment. was obtained with the glass electrode, using a soil water suspension of 1:2.5 (w/v), electric conductivity was de- termined in conductivimeter (soil/water ratio, 1:5.0) TABLE II. MAIZE GRAIN YIELD IN DIFFERENT TREAT- 25 ºC, oxidable carbon by the Walkley-Black method MENTS DURING 1996 TO 1999 (kg/ha) (APHA, AWWA, WPCF 1992), total Kjeldahl nitrogen 1996 1997 1998 1999 Average by Kjeldahl method (Hesse 1971) and P, K, Ca, Fe, Mg production and heavy metals Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni and Cd concentra- tions were determined by atomic absorption spectros- Mineral 10148 13597 10006 11852 11401 Mixed I 11545 14117 11947 13565 12793 copy (AAS) after mineralization with HNO3 + HCLO4 solution (Sims and Kline 1991). Mixed II 13818 15708 12840 13954 14080 SEWAGE SLUDGE COMPOST FERTILIZER EFFECT ON MAIZE YIELD 149 TABLE III. ANALYTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MAIZE GRAIN IN 1999 Amended Zn* Cu* Cr* Pb* Cd* Ni* P (%) K (%) Ca (%) Mineral 18.83 2.46 2.29 0.50 0.0052 3.22 0.27 0.29 0.004 Mixed I 15.67 3.86 2.12 0.54 0.0050 3.01 0.22 0.26 0.003 Mixed II 14.33 4.36 2.75 0.67 0.0053 2.99 0.21 0.20 0.003 *heavy metals (mg/kg) Production results showed that in mixed II treatment Within each type of organic matter (Table V), the (12000 kg/ha sewage sludge compost + 350 kg/ha urea) means followed by the same letter are not significantly average grain yield was 14080 kg/ha, a 23.5 % increase different (p>0.05), based on analysis of variance with respect to mineral treatment in mixed I grain yield (ANOVA) multiple range tests. that was 12793 kg/ha, a 12.2 with respect to the stan- dard (Hernández et al. 1991). Table III shows analytical characteristics of maize TABLE V. AGRONOMIC PARAMETERS IN SOIL PROFILE grain; no toxic effects arising from the heavy metals in (mg/kg) IN 1999* the plant were observed. Also, the purpose of the present study was to deter- Depth (cm) Mineral Mixed I Mixed II mine the effect of sewage sludge compost on several a a b pH 1:2.5 H2O 0-30 8.59 8.46 8.26 soil parameters ( pH, E.C., organic matter, N, P, K, hu- 30-60 8.25ª 8.49b 8.40b a b c mic acids, fulvic acids and heavy metals).
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